Our history

The Maritime Institute was established on 3 March 1950 as the Maritime Technical Institute. In 1954, it was renamed to the Maritime Institute in Gdańsk, and on 1 October 2019, by decision of the Minister of Science and Higher Education, it was incorporated into the Gdynia Maritime University and renamed the Maritime Institute of the Gdynia Maritime University.

In the beginning, its task was to conduct scientific research in the fields of shipbuilding, construction, expansion and operation of ports and port facilities, as well as technological methods and processes implemented in the maritime transport sector.

In the following years, the Maritime Institute expanded its activity. Over time, new specialist units were established, and the MI now comprises six departments (Operational Oceanography Department, Environmental Protection Department, Maritime Hydrotechnics and Electronics Department, Marine Ecology Department, Maritime Geotechnics Department, and Economics and Spatial Policy Department) and one laboratory (Survey Infrastructure Laboratory). The MI’s staff, technical facilities and equipment have also developed. The research vessel fleet plays a special role here.

The needs of the modern maritime economy, in which the energy sector is gaining strategic importance, have opened up new areas of activity for the Maritime Institute. Research on the development of offshore wind farms, offshore installations, and power grids is currently a vital part of its activity. The MI carries out pre-investment monitoring in connection with the construction of offshore wind farms, the laying of subsea cables and pipelines, sanitary sewage collectors, the establishment of artificial reefs, and is also engaged in surveying marine protected areas.

The Maritime Institute of the Gdynia Maritime University is an interdisciplinary unit that implements scientific and R&D projects for enterprises, institutions and state administration bodies involved in the broadly understood maritime economy. It is also a partner in many national and international scientific projects. It provides expert services to entities in sectors and industries such as transport, energy, environmental protection, coastal protection, tourism, and cultural heritage. The MI conducts innovative operations and research in operational oceanography, ocean engineering, hydrotechnics and marine engineering, integrated coastal zone management, and spatial planning for marine waters and the coastal zone.

Since 2024, the Maritime Institute of the Gdynia Maritime University has been based at the Offshore Centre on Roberta de Plelo Street, where projects and tasks can be carried out comprehensively and where all the MI’s resources are housed, including accredited laboratories and measuring instruments. The modern building has direct access to the Wisłoujście Quay.